UNIONTOWN, Pa. — A Uniontown police officer is off the job after being criminally charged in connection to an incident that happened at a party Saturday night while he was off duty.
Corporal Nicholas Zocco is charged with felony aggravated assault and other charges after allegedly punching another man in the face.
“He shouldn’t punch anybody in the face in Fayette County,” said Uniontown resident David Burgess.
According to the police report, the incident happened at a home on North Mill Street in Menallen Township, Fayette County.
Investigators with German Township Police say Zocco left the house party after an argument with a woman but came back.
On the driveway, police say Zocco punched a man twice in the face, knocking him down and causing him to hit his head on the ground.
Police paperwork shows the man went to the hospital with a broken nose, among other facial injuries, and was evaluated for a concussion.
Zocco claimed he hit the man in self-defense.
After speaking to multiple witnesses, investigators wrote in the criminal complaint, “It was clear that Zocco was the aggressor and was unprovoked.”
Uniontown Police say Zocco has been with the department since 2015.
In a statement to Channel 11, the chief said, “The officer was placed on administrative leave pending further investigation. ... The Uniontown City Police Department is fully supportive of the German Township Police Department and its investigation.”
“You should get punishments just like anybody else if you do something wrong,” Burgess said.
Zocco was arraigned Thursday and released on a $20,000 unsecured bond.
He’s due back in court on July 27.
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